Wrecked on the Feejees

by William S. Cary

Nothing occurred during our passage worthy of special mention. We crossed the line, took the N. E. monsoons, which carried us in sight of the Philippine islands, and the latter part of January entered the straits of St. Bernardino, arriving about the first of February. Our cargo was readily disposed of to the Chinese merchants, who came off to see it weighed, after which the ship's hold was prepared for taking in a cargo of sugar. Capt. Vandaford informed me that he had spoken to the American consul concerning me and that I was at liberty to leave the ship if I chose, or might continue in her until I could do better, and I finally concluded to remain for the present.

We commenced taking in a cargo of sugar, which was brought alongside in lighters. I went on shore on liberty one day and fell in with one of the Manila men who came in the ship. He told me that a Spanish merchant had been talking with him about the islands and that he wanted a man who understood the language of the natives to go in his ship, which he was daily expecting from Canton. I went with this man to the merchant's house, told him my business and got his terms. He offered me forty dollars per month to go as second officer of his ship, but as she had not arrived we could go no farther. He treated me very politely, and I took leave of him with very high opinion. It had been so long since I had been in civilized society other than on ship-board that this merchant's gentlemanly courtesy made a deep impression on my mind.

I returned on board the Clay and informed the captain of the Spanish merchant's offer and offered to continue in the ship if he would give me monthly wages. He offered me low wages, which I accepted rather than go with a crew of half Spanish and Indians. We had about finished loading the Clay, when the brig Quill, of Salem, arrived with orders to take from the Clay such men as liked to return to the islands with an addition to their wages, and to exchange mates. I went on board the Quill to see what wages I could get. The captain offered me fourteen dollars a month, for which I agreed to go, so I took my month's advance to get such articles as I needed and returned to the Clay.

The government here would not permit us to change crews, so the captains agreed to sail in company, and exchange after we got to Angea point. About the middle of March, 1829, we got under way in company with the Quill. We had a very good passage across the China sea until we came to the straits of Gasper. Here we had much light and calm weather. We worked through and on entering the straits of Sunda saw two large prows (a kind of vessel used in the East Indian seas) to windward, heading down for us. A gun was fired from the Clay at them, when they hauled their wind and stood off. We continued our passage through the straits with light winds and pleasant weather. About the latter part of April we came to anchor at Angea point, stopped here two or three days and got some water, and Mr. Driver, with two seamen besides myself, joined the Quill.

Late in the afternoon both vessels got under way and stood out from the land. During the night, the weather being thick and squally, we got foul of the Clay. She struck us on the larboard bow and did us considerable damage. The Clay lost her jibboom, injured her head and stove her quarter boat. Next day we came to an anchor under North Island and repaired damages, then got under way and continued our course through the strait. After passing Java Head we parted company with the Clay.

Nothing worthy of particular notice occurred during the remainder of our passage to the islands. When in sight of the island of Coroo we saw a rankish looking schooner off our bow standing toward us. When near us she luffered by the wind, brailed up foresail and hoisted Chilian colors. Not knowing who or what she was, and as she had rather a suspicious look, we loaded our big guns and prepared for the worst. She kept off from us, came down and spoke us. We found it was the schooner Valador of and from Valparaiso, on a trading cruise among the islands for tortoise-shell, etc. We stood in for the island of Coroo. When we got near the island the natives came off, bringing yams, bread-fruit, etc., for trade. It was now late, so we shortened sail and lay to for the night. At daylight we made sail and arrived at Ovalau late in the afternoon.

We were soon visited by David Whippey and a host of natives who informed me that the old king of Ambow was dead and that he was succeeded by his brother Veserwanker, who was greatly his inferior in every sense. Mr. Driver, the chief officer, was dispatched to Ambow to visit the new king and see if a cargo could be procured. The king thought he could furnish a cargo as well and as quickly as his brother had done for the Clay. The weather being fine we got under way for Ambow, where we soon arrived and were visited by the king and suite. The captain invited the king below and treated him with rum, which he drank very freely and soon found he liked it better than carva. His visits became very frequent and lengthy; he would sit and drink rum until he became boozy; then he would praise the rum saying it was much better than carva and tell me how foolish his head was, which I did not at all doubt, for his actions were quite as foolish as his feelings. When he left us after these visits he would insist on having a couple of bottles to take with him. He used to tell me to tell the captain not to give the rest of the natives any, but to keep it all for him. He was the only one among them that I ever saw drink rum.

We got along slowly with the beche de mer. It was getting scarce and we had frequent spells of bad weather which prevented the natives from going after it.

One day a chief brought a spy glass to Mr. Driver to sell, which he said was found on the reef by some of the natives who were fishing. We could form no idea how it got there, other than that some vessel had been cast away somewhere in the neighborhood. It was nearly a new glass and very little bruised; consequently could not have been long there. Soon afterwards we learned from the natives that a vessel had been cast away on a reef near the Island of Thowcanrover. Capt. Kinsman immediately hired a chief to go in search of the captain and crew. A canoe was prepared and sailed for the island of Somoson. Mr. Page, clerk of the brig, accompanied the chief. On their arrival at this island they found the captain, whose name was Clark, and his mate, some of the crew, and heard of the others on different islands, but could not stop to get them. We found from Capt. Clark that the lost vessel was the same schooner which we had spoken on our arrival at the Islands (the Valador).

The captain said that after leaving us he stood over for the island of Nerg. After trading with the natives he started for Thowcanrover. When near the island he struck on a coral reef. Having lost his boats at the Navigator islands, he had nothing left but two old canoes which were lashed together and with as many as they would carry left the wreck, leaving the crew to shift for themselves. These were afterwards taken off by the natives. They succeeded in reaching the shore in the canoes, but were immediately stripped of everything they had brought with them and threatened with instant death, but were rescued by a friendly chief who heard of the wreck and went immediately to their relief, arriving just in time to save their lives. This chief was always very friendly to the whites. He had frequently told me that if he had known of the loss of the Oeno at the time he would have come and taken us all to his island and protected us. He always protected the whites from assaults and insults. But few are to be found in any country possessed of kinder feelings or more amiable qualities than this old heathen. Capt. Clark said the spy glass was his and came out of the wreck. He and his mate, Mr. Wallis, were kindly received and treated by Capt. Kinsman and his officers and furnished with clothes, of which they were nearly destitute.